Up to date Aug. 31, 2026, 9:22 p.m. ET
Navigation platforms are all around the map thus far on President Donald Trump‘s push to change the title of Lake Ontario to Lake America.
After Trump’s Aug. 27 government order renaming the physique of water between the US and Canada, some are eyeing platforms like Google Maps and Apple Maps to see how they plan to deal with the change.
Trump’s order instructs the Division of the Inside and the U.S. Board on Geographic Names to formalize the change to Lake America inside 30 days. It comes amid an escalating commerce struggle between the US and Canada.
Trump’s transfer to rename Lake Ontario has drawn comparisons to his government order final 12 months renaming the Gulf of Mexico because the Gulf of America.
This is what we all know thus far on how map platforms are dealing with the problem.
Google Maps swaps Lake Ontario for Lake America
Google Maps formally modified the lake’s title from Lake Ontario to Lake America for customers in the US on Aug. 29, two days after Trump signed the order.
In a put up on its information weblog, Google stated it made the change “since we replace Google Maps to mirror title adjustments in official authorities sources.”
Google Maps customers in the US will see “Lake America” whereas these in Canada will proceed to see “Lake Ontario” on the platform. Customers exterior of the U.S. and Canada will see each names, the put up stated.
“These updates comply with our long-standing coverage for our bodies of water with names that fluctuate from nation to nation, and are beginning to roll out now,” Google added.
MapQuest takes clear stance on Lake Ontario. ‘We’re not altering it’
MapQuest, the web mapping platform that predated widespread apps like Google Maps and Apple Maps, made its place clear on the Lake Ontario to Lake America title change.
“We’re not altering it,” the corporate stated in an Aug. 27 social media put up.
The corporate took an identical stance after Trump’s push to rename the Gulf of Mexico in early 2025. On the time, along with saying that it would not change the title on its website, MapQuest additionally launched a map generator permitting customers to “title your individual Gulf.”
On Aug. 27, MapQuest equally launched a brand new map generator for customers to create their very own names for the lake.
Within the days since, MapQuest has continued to double down on the lake’s title on its platform.
“We’re conscious that Lake Ontario is being appropriately labeled on our map,” it stated in an Aug. 30 social media put up.
Apple Maps sticks to Lake Ontario thus far
Apple Maps continues to make use of the title Lake Ontario as of early Aug. 31.
USA TODAY has reached out to Apple Maps and Waze for touch upon whether or not it plans to vary the title.
By comparability, Apple Maps opted to swap the title of the physique of water previously often known as the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America after Trump’s push in early 2025.
Contributing: Eve Chen
Melina Khan is a nationwide trending reporter for USA TODAY. Sustain together with her on X @melinakh and Instagram @bymelinakhan.
